Difference between revisions of "Vanilla discovery tour"

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'''Whether you're visiting a national park in the SAVA region or just passing through Sambava, the de facto capital of the world's vanilla cultivation and production, a visit to a vanilla plantation and a preparation facility can offer a memorable take-away experience of this part of the island.'''
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'''Whether exploring a national park in the SAVA region or just travelling through Sambava, the de facto capital of the world's vanilla agriculture, a tour of a vanilla plantation combined with a visit to a vanilla production facility will give visitors an insight into the lenghty and labour intensive process of transforming the green fruits of vanilla orchids into the fragrant black natural vanilla spice that is the world's favourite ingredient in quality ice creams, pastries and countless other food products.'''
  
What can be seen depends on the time of the year and and which activities are ongoing, which can change slightly from year to year. During May and June, the harvesting of green vanilla beans take place close to the northwest coast around Sambava, Antalaha, Vohemar as well as further inland. At higher altitudes, around Andapa and in mountainous regions, harvesting usually takes place in July/August.   
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What can be seen depends on the activities that are ongoing at the time of a visit. Between May and June, harvesting green vanilla beans is done across plantations on the northwest coast around Sambava, Antalaha and Vohemar as well as further inland, while at higher altitudes, around Andapa and Marojejy, the harvesting usually takes place in July and early August.   
  
After harvesting, green vanilla is traded at market places around where vanilla buyers compete with each other at auctions where farmers are usually represented by various cooperatives. These markets are regulated whereby the minimum price is set of the the year's harvest, which in 2022 was 75,000 Ar per kilogram. The price is set based on anticipaded demand of the global trade as well as polituicaal influences. The harvests are bought by local exporters that manage the curing process, the months-long transformation of the green beans into the black pods vanilla as they are better known among consumers.
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After harvesting, the green vanilla crops are brought by the farmers to vanilla markets across the vanilla producing regions where buyers bid for their produce. A minimum price is set by the governent each year, which in 2022 was 75,000 Ar per kilogram of green vanilla.
  
At this stage, the beans are graded, meaning they are classified in into suitable end-uses: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B being Extract quality and Grade C which are so-called Cuts & Splits. The classification is partly defined by the level of humidity and demand, not necessarily quality.
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The crops are sold mainly to exporters and producers who manage the approximately three months long transformation of the green beans into black vanilla beans. As the beans lose moisture and shrink during the drying process, every six kilos of green beans will produce approximately one kilogram of black vanilla beans.
  
Low-humidity becomes more suitable for large processing purposes since the dryer beans can more easily be ground into powder and mixed in various food products. Grade B or Extract grade, is a lose definition for vanilla beans that is typically suitable for the production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A being gourmet quality, which are usually the black unsplit pods that consumers are familiar with, selected in part based on their appearance.
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Througout the transformation, known as the curing process, the beans are graded and grouped by classifications: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B Extract quality and Grade C known as Cuts & Splits. These classifications, sometimes mistaken for indicators of quality, are based on humidity and thereby suitability for different endn-uses.
  
The above being said, all grades can be used in cooking and baking. While grade A may have a stonger smell of vanilla and better appearance, the dryer Grade B or even C with lower moisture which lack visual appearance, will always offer greater volume (and flavour) per kilogram.
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Low-humidity beans are suited for large-scale food processing purposes as they can easily be ground into powder and mixed with various food products. Grade B, or Extract grade vanilla beans, is the vanilla grade that is typically used for the production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A beans, or gourmet quality beans, which have the highest humidity, are typically favoured by chefs and end-consumers who will split open the pods to scrape out its seeds to mix into various cooking and baking creations. But all grades can be used in cooking and baking. While grade A may have a stronger scent and a better overall appearance, Grade B or even C with its lowest moisture content will offer the highest volume per kilogram, effectively providing more vanilla and flavouring for the same weight at a lower price than Grade A beans.  
  
Following a peak price of black vanilla at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018/2019, many more farmers have invested their time in vanilla cultivation, which in Madagascar is almost exclusively a cash-crop. Barely any of yeild is used locally.  
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In Madagascar, vanilla is rarely used in home cooking and almost exclusively farmed for export purposes. Since the price of vanilla peaked at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018 and 2019, countless farmers have invested their time and efforts in cultivating vanilla as their primary cash crop.
  
Vanilla beans grow best in light but shaded conditions. Partly and fully grown green vanilla beans can be seen at many plantations between March and up until harvesting time.
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Vanilla beans grow best in light but shaded conditions. Partly and fully grown green vanilla beans can be seen at plantations between March and up until harvesting time.
 +
 
 +
Historically, the type of vanilla grown in Madagascar is the Planifolia species, also known as Bourbon vanilla or simply Madagascar vanilla. The species originates from Mesoamerica where it grew centuries ago.
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The "Bourbon" part is a hostorical reference a French owned slave on La Reunion, then known as Île Bourbon, who discovered how to pollinate the vanilla orchids by hand to bear fiuits, since in their original habitat, pollination can only occur by bees native to Mexico.
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Apart from flavouring sweets in countless food and drink products, vanilla is used in essential oils, cosmetics, toiletries, perfumes as well as in medicines.
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The medicinal values are ...
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The price of different vanilla has in part been determinded by its vanillin percentage, the higher the vanillin percentage, the the higher the price, with the Thaitian variety having fetched record prices in recent years while the Mexican variately (Pompona) having had the lowest and the Magascan planifolia usually placed between.
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However, studies have shown that high values of 2% or more does not necesssarily equate to an improved taste quality. So a high vanillin percentage is something that can just look good on paper. Instead, beans with a vanillin percentage value of around 1.7% were considered to have the most balanced flavour profile and the highest overall score.
 +
 
 +
There are subtle taste differences, which may easily only be distinquisged by a master chef or gourmandise, and while the terroir makes a difference, Planifolia is known for its floral notes, Pompona for having a more subtle flavour and Thaitian being known for its anaise notes and sweetness.
 +
 
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As Thaitian is hybrid between Planifolia and Odorata, it may prove difficult to tell the differnce between a Planifolia and Tahitian grown in a same terroir in for example Madagascar.
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 +
 
 +
== Videos ==
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Sorting Cuts & Splits
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 +
* WB-sx4b1JLg

Revision as of 04:36, 14 September 2022

Whether exploring a national park in the SAVA region or just travelling through Sambava, the de facto capital of the world's vanilla agriculture, a tour of a vanilla plantation combined with a visit to a vanilla production facility will give visitors an insight into the lenghty and labour intensive process of transforming the green fruits of vanilla orchids into the fragrant black natural vanilla spice that is the world's favourite ingredient in quality ice creams, pastries and countless other food products.

What can be seen depends on the activities that are ongoing at the time of a visit. Between May and June, harvesting green vanilla beans is done across plantations on the northwest coast around Sambava, Antalaha and Vohemar as well as further inland, while at higher altitudes, around Andapa and Marojejy, the harvesting usually takes place in July and early August.

After harvesting, the green vanilla crops are brought by the farmers to vanilla markets across the vanilla producing regions where buyers bid for their produce. A minimum price is set by the governent each year, which in 2022 was 75,000 Ar per kilogram of green vanilla.

The crops are sold mainly to exporters and producers who manage the approximately three months long transformation of the green beans into black vanilla beans. As the beans lose moisture and shrink during the drying process, every six kilos of green beans will produce approximately one kilogram of black vanilla beans.

Througout the transformation, known as the curing process, the beans are graded and grouped by classifications: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B Extract quality and Grade C known as Cuts & Splits. These classifications, sometimes mistaken for indicators of quality, are based on humidity and thereby suitability for different endn-uses.

Low-humidity beans are suited for large-scale food processing purposes as they can easily be ground into powder and mixed with various food products. Grade B, or Extract grade vanilla beans, is the vanilla grade that is typically used for the production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A beans, or gourmet quality beans, which have the highest humidity, are typically favoured by chefs and end-consumers who will split open the pods to scrape out its seeds to mix into various cooking and baking creations. But all grades can be used in cooking and baking. While grade A may have a stronger scent and a better overall appearance, Grade B or even C with its lowest moisture content will offer the highest volume per kilogram, effectively providing more vanilla and flavouring for the same weight at a lower price than Grade A beans.

In Madagascar, vanilla is rarely used in home cooking and almost exclusively farmed for export purposes. Since the price of vanilla peaked at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018 and 2019, countless farmers have invested their time and efforts in cultivating vanilla as their primary cash crop.

Vanilla beans grow best in light but shaded conditions. Partly and fully grown green vanilla beans can be seen at plantations between March and up until harvesting time.

Historically, the type of vanilla grown in Madagascar is the Planifolia species, also known as Bourbon vanilla or simply Madagascar vanilla. The species originates from Mesoamerica where it grew centuries ago.

The "Bourbon" part is a hostorical reference a French owned slave on La Reunion, then known as Île Bourbon, who discovered how to pollinate the vanilla orchids by hand to bear fiuits, since in their original habitat, pollination can only occur by bees native to Mexico.

Apart from flavouring sweets in countless food and drink products, vanilla is used in essential oils, cosmetics, toiletries, perfumes as well as in medicines.

The medicinal values are ...

The price of different vanilla has in part been determinded by its vanillin percentage, the higher the vanillin percentage, the the higher the price, with the Thaitian variety having fetched record prices in recent years while the Mexican variately (Pompona) having had the lowest and the Magascan planifolia usually placed between.

However, studies have shown that high values of 2% or more does not necesssarily equate to an improved taste quality. So a high vanillin percentage is something that can just look good on paper. Instead, beans with a vanillin percentage value of around 1.7% were considered to have the most balanced flavour profile and the highest overall score.

There are subtle taste differences, which may easily only be distinquisged by a master chef or gourmandise, and while the terroir makes a difference, Planifolia is known for its floral notes, Pompona for having a more subtle flavour and Thaitian being known for its anaise notes and sweetness.

As Thaitian is hybrid between Planifolia and Odorata, it may prove difficult to tell the differnce between a Planifolia and Tahitian grown in a same terroir in for example Madagascar.


Videos

Sorting Cuts & Splits

  • WB-sx4b1JLg